Increment assembly sheet sign



Feb. 4, 1964 H. c. PFAFF, JR., ETAL 3,120,069

INCREMENT ASSEMBLY SHEET SIGN Original Filed April 25, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 1 iNVENTORS H C. PFAFF JR.

R. W. 5 IVE R BY 2 Z ATTORNEY Feb. 4, 1964 H. c. PFAFF, JR., ETAL3,120,069

INCREMENT ASSEMBLY SHEET SIGN Original Filed April 25, 1958 2Sheets-Sheet 2 VIIIIIIIII I'IIIIIII INVENTORS H. C. PFAFF, JR. R. W.SIVER %a17 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,120,669 INCREMENT ASSEMBLYSHEET SIGN Henry C. Pfatf, Jr., Summit, and Richard W. Sivcr,

Manasquan, N..I., assignors to Traffic and Street Sign Company, Newark,N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Original application Apr. 25, 1958,Ser. No. 731,022, now

Patent No. 2,942,366, dated June 28, 1960. Divided and this applicationMay 19, 1960, Ser. No. 39,719

2 Claims. (Cl. 40-125) This invention relates to a sign device of suchstructural features that it may be readily fabricated of aluminum orother metal sheets to provide an unobstructed planar display faceparticularly well adapted for highway uses. The sign of this inventionmay be fabricated of parts manufactured as standard units adapted to beassembled in increment multiples at the site of installation to conformto the requirements of the installation and, when so assembled, providean inherently rigid, permanent sign structure of highly practical andneat appearance, well adapted to withstand the elements includingextreme wind loads.

The sign of the invention presents a display face of the combinedsurface areas of panels of which it is formed, with no hardware orprotuberances on the display face. Individual panels, assembled to formthe sign, are provided at their opposite or rear faces with means forsecuring them together in aligned relation.

Pursuant to this invention, the panels are provided, on the face obverseto the display face, with clips designed to engage a frame secured tosupporting posts in an arrangement such that the frame may be positionedin initial approximately correct position on the post and thereafteradjusted to final position with the frame supported by and readilymovable on the post, facilitating final assembly operations; likewisethe panel clips may be positioned in initial approximately correctposition on the frame and thereafter adjusted to final position whilesupported and slidable on the frame.

Examples of practical devices embodying the invention are describedbelow and in the accompanying drawings; the invention is not limitedthereto, but covers all other forms coming within the scope or purviewof the disclosure herein.

This application is a division of our application filed April 25, 1958,Serial No. 731,022, now Patent No. 2,942,366, dated June 28, 1960.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken at line 11 ofFIG. 6 and 11 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of thepanel obverse from the display face thereof, showing a clip embodyingthe invention secured thereto and engaging the rail of a frame,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of a sign consisting of aplurality of panels and a plurality of support posts therefor, embodyingthe invention,

FIG. 4 is a partly fragmentary rear elevational view of a sign embodyingthe invention, consisting of two panels secured to a supporting post,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational View taken on the line 5-5of FIG. 3, I

FIG. 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken at line 66 of FIG.4,

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken at line77 of FIG. 4,

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken atline 88 of FIG. 4, and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a frame bracket to be secured to thesupporting post and to be engaged by the frame for mounting the frame onthe supporting post.

Similar reference characters indicate similar parts ice throughout theseveral views. As shown in the drawings, the device of this inventioncomprises a sign 15 (FIG. 4) having an assembly sheet panel portion 16consisting of a plurality of panels 17, 18 adapted to be secured byclips 27 of the invention to a frame 19 which, in turn, may be securedto a post 20 of a ground or overhead support. Other panels such as 21,22 (FIG. 3) intermediate panels 23, 24 may be added as required forbuilding the sign to the panel increment desired, and said panels andframe 19 secured to post 20 by a socket bracket 47 (FIG. 9) having abase portion 48, to be secured to the supporting post 20 as by U-bolts40, and a throat portion 49 offset rearwardly of the post 20 when thebracket is secured thereto (FIG. 5), the throat portion 49 and post 20thus defining a recess or socket to receive the rail 34 of frame 19 andsupport it on ledge 50 of the bracket. The panels are proportioned toprovide a sign of the desired longitudinal and vertical dimensions.

The parts of the sign are transported in knock-down form, unpacked atthe site of installation, and the panels, with the clips 27 secured totheir faces obverse their display faces, hooked over the rails 34, 35 ofthe frame 19 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) in initially approximately correctposition. This places the weight of the panels 17, 18 on the frame 19which, in turn, is supported on the bracket 47. The parts are thusinitially assembled and may then be readily adjusted and set toaccurate, final position.

The arrangement of the Z rails 34, 35 of the frame 19 provides a furtherconvenient means for rapidly engaging the panels and rails and posts andthus mounting the parts initially at the point of installation withoutwaiting for final alignment of parts, final alignment being attainedwhile the parts of the sign are essentially assembled, thus greatlyfacilitating installation in the field. The signs of the presentinvention are especially adapted for use as highway signs; the featuresof initial assembly pending final adjustment and alignment at the pointof installation is highly important.

The clips 27 are welded or otherwise secured to the rear faces of thepanels at 28 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 5) with the C-shaped portions 55 of saidclips (FIG. 2) downwardly opening for receiving the upper flanges 56 ofthe Z-rails 34, 35 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 4). The panels (with the clips 27assembled on the obverse faces thereof at the plant or bolted thereto atpoint of installation) may be positioned over upper flanges 56 of theZ-rails 34, 35 and thus initially assembled in approximately correctposition prior to final alignment of the parts, the lower flanges 57 ofthe rails of frame 19 (FIG. 5) being readily inserted between the throat49 of the socket bracket 4'7 and post 20. Then the final alignment ofthe parts may be achieved by aligning the apertures 59 (FIG. 5) in theZ-rails 34, 35 with the apertures 58 in the brackets 47 and passinglatch means such as bolts 44 therethrough; the parts are readily alignedas all of the weight of thepanels and attachments rests on the ledge 50of the bracket 47, the parts being, prior to their final alignment asmentioned above, sufficiently interengaged to facilitate completion ofthe job rapidly and without requiring the exertion of any substantialforce or use of special tools or techniques.

FIG. 1 illustrates a form of clip 27 wherein the rear leg 60 of the C-shaped downwardly opening portion 55 thereof is offset from and secured toend portions 61, 61' fixed to the panel as at 28 as above noted. Leg 60,in line with the end of the other leg 62 of the-h-, inverted U- orC-shape'd portion completed by web 55 of clip 27 is provided with aprotuberance 63 which is offset and spaced from the protuberance 60' onleg "60 a greater distance than the thickness of the flange 56 of rail34. Thus a downwardly-opening slot is provided to receive said flange56. The clips 27 of this invention are designed to withstand wind andother loading factors with safety by forming the clip of the desiredhorizontal length (L-FIG. 2) and by securing the clips to the panels tosupport the desired stress of the panels. The clips 27 are secured tothe panels in two or more horizontal rows so that the upper flanges 56of Z-rails 34, 35 may be received in the C-shaped downwardly openingportions 55 of the clips 27 which engage and make contact with flanges56 at 64 (FIG. 1) to support the weight of the panels; at the same time,the clips 27 may, by threading bolts or set screws 29 in protuberancesor thickened parts 63 of legs 62 of the clips 27, engage and makecontact with the legs 60 of clips 27 or with extended bosses or raisedportions 60' of legs 60. The axis of each screw 29 is offset upward, asillustrated, with respect to the opposing raised portion 60' tofacilitate release from the supporting member 34, as will be described.

As above stated, the sign fabricated in accordance with the inventioncomprises panels 17, 18, assembled in edgewise relation, with nohardware or protuberances on the front face 51 (FIG. of the sign definedby the combined surface areas of the panels of which the sign is formed,so that said entire face area 51 may be utilized for display purposes.

The clips 27 (FIG. 2) for securing the panels together in edgewiseabutting relation are welded thereto as at 28 or bolted or otherwisesecured thereto and disposed at predetermined spaced points of eachpanel so as to align when the panels are disposed in edgewise alignedabutment. Said clips 27 (FIG. 4) are adapted to engage a frame 19 (inturn secured to the post 20) by means such as bolts 29 (FIGS. 1, 2 and5) engaging the clips and frame. Complementary edgewise means may beprovided on the panels (FIGS. 8 and 4) such as an elongated strip 30welded to one panel as at 31 (FIG. 8) and one or more fingers 32 (FIGS.1 and 4) secured to the other panel as at 33 and offset to receive thestrip 30, to thereby align the panels edgewise.

Frame 19 may be formed of similar frame sections, each being secured toa panel and comprising Z-rails 34, 35 (FIG. 2) and means such as poststiffeners 36 welded or bolted to the rails 34, 35 as at 37 (FIG. 2) topermit assembly in field if desired. Suitable means may engage the frameand post to secure the frame to the post such as for example, U-bolts 40(FIGS. 3, 5 and 6) positioned over the post 20 and secured to socketbracket 47 (FIGS. 6, 4 and 9).

In the sign of FIG. 3 a second post 20' is shown to which the panels aresecured by the bolts 40 as above described in connection with FIG. 4.Panels of greater height than those of FIG. 4 may be provided withadditional rails 35 as shown in FIG. 3, the other parts beingsubstantially identical and being correspondingly numbered.

As noted above, the clip 27 locking device is designed to withstandvarying wind and other loadings, depending on design with any reasonablefactor of safety by selecting the desired length L (FIG. 2) for theclips from edge to edge and fastening them by riveting the clip endflanges 61, 61' to the panels 17, 18 or by welding at 28 (FIGS. 5 and 2)or other means, to support varying areas of sign panels 17, 18,.

The clips 27 are applied to the vertical sign sheet in two or morehorizontal rows (FIGS. 4 and 3) so that the clip openings 55 (FIG. 2)can slip over and engage the upper flange 5 6 of the sign supportingstructure. The clip 27 engages and makes contact with rail flange 56 at64 (FIG. 1) to support the weight of the sign panels while at the sametime the clip 27 engages and makes contact with rail flange 56 betweenthe inner end of the set screw 29 and point 60' (FIG. 1).

Wind loads in direction B (FIG. 1) on the area of the front face 51 ofsign 15 supported by clip 27 creates pressures and stresses which aredistributed from panels 17, 18 and through clips 27 to points 60' andthence to flanges 56 of the rails (34, 35). At the same time, varyingwind pressures may cause flexure or bending in sheets 18, 19 whichrotating motion is transmitted through welds 28 or through rivetedconnections to the clips 27 which can move with respect to flange 56, atpoints 64 without transmitting the rotary motion to flange 56 andprevent excessive flexural stresses from rupturing connections 28 withthe base portions 61, 61 during the useful life of the sign assembly.

Clip 27 is designed to provide a release feature which will free signsheet 18 from the supporting structural member 56 in the event of impactof a vehicle or other object, particularly in direction B against thesupporting structure, preventing or minimizing any damage to the signsheets which may be immediately re-erected on other temporary orpermanent sign supports. This release feature is incorporated in thedesign of clip 27 in the relative positioning of the point 60' and theset screw 29 as well as in the amount of material at point 52 which iscontrolled by selection of the tab length L (FIG. 2) to provideadequately for the lesser stresses due to wind while at the same timekeeping the amount of material insufiicient to prevent bending orbreaking at point 52 of the clip, where the upper flange 61 of the clipjoins the C-portion 6=ll55-62 thereof, when subjected to the excessstresses due to impact. By virtue of the offsetting of the axis of theset screw 29 above the point 60, the di agonal distance between theinner end of said set screw and said point is greater than the distancebetween the vertical planes of said end and point.

This means that if the impact in direction B causes the sign sheet 18 torotate clockwise, as viewed in FIG- URE 1, the top end of the flange 56will slide along the web 55 of said clip 27 until it engages the partthereof. This effects a swinging of the clip 27 toward a position overthe web of the Z-rail 34 and a withdrawing of said flange from the setscrew 29 as it pivots about the point 66'. This movement loosens theclip 27 with respect to the rail 34 and effects a release of the engagedparts.

This same feature makes it possible to assemble the parts by insertingthe flange 56 diagonally upward and to the left between the point 60'and the inner end of the set screw 29, even when the latter is in thenormal retaining position illustrated in FIGURE 1. After insertion, theparts may be turned to the normal relation illustrated, effecting acorresponding tightening of the grip on the flange 56. The normalrelation is maintained by thereafter connecting the posts 36 thereto orthe clips 27 to the sign sheet 15.

The manner in which clip 27 engages flange 56 of support rail 34 is sodesigned as to facilitate easy erection by hanging the sign panels ontothe upper flanges 56 after the supporting structural rails 34, 35 areerected and in place. This feature also provides for easy removal of thesign panels from the supporting structures 34, 35.

Set screws 29 are provided to secure the sign panels and clips 27assembly from shifting position horizontally or vertically along thesupporting structural members 34, 35 due to motion of vibration or othercauses.

The use of welded connections 28 or countersunk rivets or other meanseliminates unsightly appearance of projections on the front face 51 ofthe finished sign.

The structure of the invention above described provides means wherebyreadily available aluminum or other sheets, in various sizes, can beused in increments to construct signs of any desired size with resultingsavings in the quantity of aluminum required.

The structural features and ease of assembling a sign usingcomparatively light weight aluminum sheets and locking clips 27 reducesthe labor required in the fabrication, handling, erection and repair,resulting in considerable cost savings.

The locking clip 27 facilitates sign design and construction enablingutilization of durable aluminum or other materials which are preferredin use as they obviate the maintenance usually required to protect othermaterials from the ravages of the elements.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. An increment assembly sheet sign to be secured to a post comprising aplurality of flat panels adapted to be positioned in edgewise abutmentto define a planar sign display surface of the combined surface areas ofsaid panels, a frame adapted to be secured to said post to thus securethe sign thereto, said frame including an elongated rail having anupstanding flange, clips each having a base secured to the rear face ofa panel, each clip having a Web portion projecting rearwardly from saidbase and terminating in a downwardly-projecting flange forming a slotdefined by said base, web and flange to receive said upstanding flangeof said rail to initially position the panels on the frame, aprotuberance formed on and projecting from said base restricting theopen end portion of said slot, and a set screw threaded into thedownwardly-projecting flange of each clip, thus connecting the panels tosaid rail, the axis of said screw being offset upwardly as compared withthe protuberance, thereby allowing for release of the clips with respectto said upstanding flange upon rotation therebetween.

2. An increment assembly sheet sign to be secured to a post comprising aplurality of fiat panels adapted to be positioned in edgewise abutmentto define a planar sign display surface of the combined surface areas ofsaid panels, a frame adapted to be secured to said post to thus securethe sign thereto, said frame including an elongated rail having anupstanding flange, clips each having a base secured to the rear face ofa panel, each clip having a web portion projecting rearwardly from saidbase and terminating in a downwardly projecting flange forming a slotdefined by said base, web and flange to receive said upstanding flangeof the rail, to initially position the panels on the frame, aprotuberance formed on and projecting from said base restricting theopen end portion of said slot, and means engaging said downwardlyprojecting flange of each clip and the upstanding flange of the rail,thus connecting the panels to the rail, the axis of said means beingoffset upwardly as compared with the protuberance, thereby allowing forrelease of the clips with respect to said upstanding flange uponrotation therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,886,900 Overholtz Nov. 8, 1932 2,118,135 Baldwin May 24, 19382,806,308 Curell Sept. 17, 1957 2,901,849 Callison Sept. 1, 19592,942,366 Pfaif et a1 June 28, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 565,715 GreatBritain Nov. 23, 1944

1. AN INCREMENT ASSEMBLY SHEET SIGN TO BE SECURED TO A POST COMPRISING APLURALITY OF FLAT PANELS ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED IN EDGEWISE ABUTMENTTO DEFINE A PLANAR SIGN DISPLAY SURFACE OF THE COMBINED SURFACE AREAS OFSAID PANELS, A FRAME ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO SAID POST TO THUS SECURETHE SIGN THERETO, SAID FRAME INCLUDING AN ELONGATED RAIL HAVING ANUPSTANDING FLANGE, CLIPS EACH HAVING A BASE SECURED TO THE REAR FACE OFA PANEL, EACH CLIP HAVING A WEB PORTION PROJECTING REARWARDLY FROM SAIDBASE AND TERMINATING IN A DOWNWARDLY-PROJECTING FLANGE FORMING A SLOTDEFINED BY SAID BASE, WEB AND FLANGE TO RECEIVE SAID UPSTANDING FLANGEOF SAID RAIL TO INITIALLY POSITION THE PANELS ON THE FRAME, APROTUBERANCE FORMED ON AND PROJECTING FROM SAID BASE RESTRICTING THEOPEN END PORTION OF SAID SLOT, AND A SET SCREW THREADED INTO THEDOWNWARDLY-PROJECTING FLANGE OF EACH CLIP, THUS CONNECTING THE PANELS TOSAID RAIL, THE AXIS OF SAID SCREW BEING OFFSET UPWARDLY AS COMPARED WITHTHE PROTUBERANCE, THEREBY ALLOWING FOR RELEASE OF THE CLIPS WITH RESPECTTO SAID UPSTANDING FLANGE UPON ROTATION THEREBETWEEN.